Method of and means for annealing glass.



F. SHUMAN.

METHOD OF AND MEANS FOR ANNEALING GLASS.

APPLICATION TILED MAY 20,1905.

Patented my 10, 1910.

LN Q

Myer/far 5771B! 5 S wu M UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK SHUMAN, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO THE CONTINU- OUS GLASS PRESS COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY. I

METHOD OF AND MEANS FOR ANNEALING GLASS.

Specification of Letters Patent. Paton i011 May 1 O, 1

Application filed May 20, 1905. Serial No. 261,384.

ment in Methods of and Means for AnneaL ing Glass,

fication.

My invention has reference "to methods and means of annealing glass and consists ofwhich the following is a speciof. certain improvements which are fully set forth in the ollowing specification taken in connection with the accom anying drawings which form :ipart thereof.

Heretofore, it has been customary to roll the sheet of glass, then push the sheet from the rolling table into the leer where it is annealed. This method is-slow because-the end of the sheet last roll'ed mustbe allowed to setsuilic'intly to permit pressure from the pushin rods without changing its shape. Because 0% the delay in transferrin r the sheet of glass into the leer the glass isliable to be more or less defectiveand inferior in quality due to internal strainsowing to uneven-annealing. The sheet is 'liab le to buckle under the compressive strains and this is more especially. the case with large thin Sheets.

The object of my invention is to overcome the above objections in the pres entmode of handling sheets of lass in transference thereof into the annea mg furnace or leer. I have found by practical a plication of my invention that the most asvantageous results may be secured by pulling the glass sheet from the rolling table into the leer instead of pushing it. By using this method I have been enabled to reduce the breakage in annealing veryv considerably, have reduced the time required in transferring the glass from the table to the leer, have improvedthe quality of the glass because the sooner it is gotten into the leer the less internal strains are caused. by uneven annealing, buckling or distortion of the sheet of glass.

In carrying my .improved method into operation, I roll the glass sheet upon the table with the roller moving away from the leer. The moment the first portion of the sheet of embedded in the glass before it 13 cold and after the sheet is fully rolled the sheet is instantly pulled into the leer by the ronged tool. Preferably the tool is formed like a.

' small portion of the and less damage is caused from,

glass is formed a-pronged tool is rake and thrustthrough the leer for attach- .ment to 'the'glass. By thismcthod the glass may be pulled directly into the leer some seconds before it would be cold enough to permit pushing as in the old method. By pulling the glass from the coolest end the sheet 15 caused to pass easily and quickly into the leer and irrespective of its softness is kept flat and free from buckling.

It will be understood that owing to the quick transfer of the glass after being rolled into the leer the annealing is more quickly and perfectly accomplished.

My invention also comprehends means by which the above-recited method may be 'carried into effect and said means being fully described hereinafter and defined in the claims. a

' My invention will hc betlcr understood by reference to the accom anying drawings showing suitable means or putting my improved method into practice, in which:

Flgure l is a. cross section through the leer and 'glass rolling machine. Fig. 2 is an end view of the tool for. pulling the glass into the leer; and Fig. 3 is a section-of same on line 33. A is the leer or more particularly the first heating compartment thereof and B is the front door through which the glass sheets are introduced into the leer. The particular constructionof-the leer is immaterial.

K is the level of the leer bottom or support for the lass and is on a level rolling table C. This ro ing' table O is on rollers and is moved up to the front door B of the leer as shown. The roller Dis first brought to the position indicated in dotted lines at D and after the ball of molten glass is laid upon thetable it ismoved to the d 1 position indicated in otted ines at D Thls action produces :1 rolled sheet between the leer and roller. The teeth J of the drawing in tool F is then forced down into the glass before it is set. lVhile this is being done the rollin of the glass is being completed and the re ler moved off the glass to the position shown at D. The glass is then drawn into the leer from the table by the tool F which is provided with the long iron handle G which extends through the leer and protrudes from "the rearthrough-a passage H. The transference of the glass is made into the leer from the table the instant the rolling thereof has been completed. This tool F consists ing used for drawing in a sheet of glass the -to0l ism oved to the position-indicated in dotted lines in which the part F is kept in a reasonably hot condition but not overheated. This improved method of transferring the sheet of glass into the leer is equally applicable for all kinds of rolled plate glass, whether skylight, wire glass, or large plate glass.

An important feature of my invention is the applying the power for moving the glass plate to that-portion-of the sheet that is first rolled and set and reducing the strain upon the glass from the end first rolled to the end last rolled during its transference into the leer. i

The essential feature of my invention is in moving the sheet of glass while it is under tension instead of compression as was heretofore done.

' Having now described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Let-V ters Iatent, is: i

1. The method of making and annealing flat sheets of glass which consists, in rolling molten glass into a sheet upon a horizontal 'tlat. surface, and while still hot and' pliable transferring the sheet of glass mto a leer for annealing it by applying power to the ,end of the sheet aerossits width next tothe leer and thereby pulling it bodily over the flat surface into the leer as distinguished from pushing it and whereby the sheet is held in a flat condition b gravitv and the flat surface during the operation.

2. The art of making sheets of rolled glass which consists of rolling a ball of glass into a sheet upon a Hat surface and during the rolling operation while the glass IS plastic applying a drawing-in tool to the end of the glass first rolled, and as soon as the roller has left the glass drawing or pulling the sheet of glass from the, rolling table into the H r L leer over the supporting surface as distinguished from' )ushing it.

3. The art 0 making sheets of rolled glass which consists of rolling a ball of glass into a sheet, embedding .inlthe end of the glass first rolled a drawing-in tool and at the same time completing the rolling of the sheet, and

then at once drawing into the leer the sheet of glass by pulling upon the drawin -in tool whereby the glass is drawn or pulled into the leer as distinguished from pushing it.

4. A leer having an entrance door for the glass-and a tool aperture in its opposite wall, combined with a. table upon which the glass sheet is rolled arranged adjacent. to and upon the level of the entrance door of the leer, and a drawing in tool exlending entirely through the furnace and the tool aperture and door thereof and )rovided with means for attachment to the g ass sheet adjacent to the leer. a 5. A leer having an entrance door for th glass and a tool aperture in its wall, combined with .a table upon which the glass sheet is rolled arranged adjacent'to and upon the level of the entrance-door'of the-- the leer, and a tool for drawing the glass from the table into the leer through the entrance door having means for attachment to the glass at its end adjacent to the leer and the leer end of the table. i i

in testimony of which invention, I hereunto set. my hand. 1

FRANK SHUMAN. Witnesses: i

R. M. KELLY, M.'J. Eran. 

